1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns vehicles. More particularly, it concerns the loading of cargo into vehicles and devices therefor. Even more particularly, the present invention concerns stowable cargo loading devices for van-type passenger vehicles.
2. Prior Art
By way of background, and as is known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, the cargo bay area of "vans", "mini-vans", and similar type passenger vehicles is elevated above the ground such that the loading of both heavy and large items is not only awkward, but virtually impossible by one of average or below average strength.
To date, no devices have been proposed to alleviate the situation. Sanchez, U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,374, teaches a cargo-loading device that has a ramp, a cart, and a winch. The winch pulls the cart up the ramp onto a vehicle. However, the ramp must be manually assembled before, and disassembled after, each use, rendering the device not very usable. Dinverno, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,372, teaches a ramp, a cart, and a winch. The winch pulls the cart up the frame onto a vehicle. However, the ramp is permanently attached to the vehicle; thus, the cargo bay area of the vehicle can be used only to transport carts. Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,762, teaches a ramp to be attached to the tops of the sides of the back of a pickup truck, leaving the bed of the pickup truck free to carry other cargo. Heine, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,249, teaches a ramp with an attached sled, the ramp to be attached to the bed of a pickup truck or the like. However, none of these references provides a stowable cargo loader with separate ramp and cart elements in which the ramp is collapsible and removably attaches to the inside of a van-like vehicle.
As detailed hereinbelow, the present invention provides a stowable cargo loading device that overcomes this problem.